Drone specialist DJI releases the ultimate tool for the next generation of YouTube stars

Our Verdict

The DJI OSMO offers a whole new way of shooting video handheld. The design is simple but effective and the video quality is really good too. It's perfect for one-person videography.

For

Simple app

Superb handheld stabilization

High quality 4K video

Against

Tricky to add external audio recorder

Minimum focus distance 1.5m

No programmable motion

DJI is best known for revolutionising the multirotor drone market with the Phantom range, but now it brings its knowledge of image stabilised gimbals to earth with the unique handheld gimbal and camera combo known as the OSMO.

The OSMO is a camera system that enables you to capture your world from a personal perspective, and does so in a way the far exceeds the capabilities of regular action cams like the GoPro Hero4. This step up in quality isn't down to the visual properties like tone, colour and detail, but the fluid stabilized footage made possible by the integrated gimbal.

This gimbal ensures that the DJI X3 12.4Mp camera is always level and stable, and in doing so cuts out the wobble usually associated with handheld camera work.

The handle features a series of buttons that enable complete control over the operation of both the camera and gimbal. Mounted on the side of the handle is a spring-loaded holder that neatly grasps a Wi-Fi enabled phone in order to further expand on the camera and gimbal's operation, as well as acting as a handy live view screen.

The OSMO consists of a camera mounted on a stabilized gimbal.

The camera and gimbal are mounted on a handgrip with thumb-operated controls.

Its unique design and the almost autonomous movement of the camera makes it look other-worldly. The OSMO promises the budding filmmaker or vlogger the ability to shoot professional stabilized footage that is as yet is unrivaled for the price by anything else on the market.

The majority of small motorised gimbals for GoPro and other action cameras are often gimmicky or time consuming to set up, but the OSMO is ready to go in seconds. Rival camera gimbal combos include the Yuneec Typhoon ActionCam, but although this does succeed as a handheld system, the ray-gun style design is still far behind the usefulness of the OSMO.